64 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing!, March 26, 2004
This review is from: Knitting Stitch Bible (Spiral-bound)
I practically snatched this book off the shelf at the local bookstore, since I'm a true fan of Barbara Walker's treasuries but always looking to expand my horizons. I'm afraid it's a bit of a disappointment.
Color photos are nice, but getting creative with yarn colors for these pattern swatches was not always a great idea. Tweedy yarns as well as bright-colored yarns (e.g., many of the bobbles which are done in bright red) make it difficult to see the texture; and a large number of the lace patterns, some of them very poorly lit, are shown in light-colored yarn on a white background. I keep finding myself unconsciously tilting the book trying to get some shadows so I can see what the pattern actually looks like.
Another major problem is that some of the symbols in the charts are not listed in the "Chart Symbols" at the back of the book, and some are just wrong. There are at least two "mystery symbols" appearing in the charts. Several patterns which I know are using twisted (or crossed) stitches show cable symbols instead. ("Mock cable," pattern #23, shows cable symbols - how is it a mock cable if you're actually using a cable??)
As another reviewer noted, many of the patterns in the "Fair Isle" section are not actually Fair Isle. The selection of actual Fair Isle designs is rather scanty.
Last and probably least, I wish there were more commentary on the patterns such as Barbara Walker gives, regarding the qualities of the fabric, suggested needle sizes, applications, etc.
I give the book 2 stars only because there are several patterns in it which are new to me and I will probably use. (Unfortunately one of those patterns, #25 "Celtic vine," is one of the charts with mystery symbols, although I think I can figure it out in this case. A beginner definitely could not.)
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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Both useful and not useful, July 9, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Knitting Stitch Bible (Spiral-bound)
This book has both plusses and minuses. It seriously needs a copy editor. The illustration on page 207 does not accurately depict the stitch diagram. Many of the stitches listed in the intarsia section belong in the Fair Isle section, and vice versa. (Fair Isle is unique in that it allows only two colors to be used at a time, whereas intarsia can use any number of colors at a time.) Some of the lace illustrations can barely be seen. They should have either been put on a darker background, or they should have been knit with a darker material. As is, they are nearly-white on white, and it is hard to see the detail.
On the plus side, the book is well-organized, most of the illustrations are above the norm for books of this type, and some of the patterns are new to me, though I own several other books of this genre. The ring binding is a big plus, aiding in keeping the book open to the desired page as one works.
Incidentally: the pattern on page 207 would be a great use of scrap yarn, and any number of rows could be used for the middle section of each stripe, aiding one in using up nearly the very last inch of material before moving on to the next scrap.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Exactly A Bible, October 8, 2003
This review is from: Knitting Stitch Bible (Spiral-bound)
I was very impressed with the collection of stitch patterns in this book. As a advanced beginner knitter, I found much of them inspiring, particularly those displayed in the cable section.
I only wish it had diagrams or better explanations for a few of the chart symbols in the back. I had to reference a completely different book to understand how to do some of the stitches in patterns.
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